hit by the pitch

[thbestump]

r1 on first b1 up to bat. pitcher throws a pitch, the batter doesn't step out he just moves little, ball hits his hands that are which still wraped around the batt. The runner tries to steal, but was told to go back to first because it dead ball. what is the right call. plus a strike was called on the batter because it went foul.

shawn

[LMan]

FED?

If the batter did NOT make a legit attempt to avoid the pitch, its a ball (if he was not in the strike zone) and he stays in the box, dead ball, R1 returns. If he was hit in the zone, its a strike and he stays, dead ball, R1 returns. If he tried to avoid (judgement), he goes to first, dead ball, R1 to 2B.

that it 'went foul' after the hit is irrelevant. Its where his hands were relative to the strike zone at moment of impact.

[largeone59]

Originally posted by thbestump
r1 on first b1 up to bat. pitcher throws a pitch, the batter doesn't step out he just moves little, ball hits his hands that are which still wraped around the batt. The runner tries to steal, but was told to go back to first because it dead ball. what is the right call. plus a strike was called on the batter because it went foul.

shawn

Hands are NOT part of the bat. It is a dead ball if it hits his hands. Refer to LMan's post for correct rulings.

[mbyron]

I found LMan's post a little confusing.

There's a specific order of questions to ask yourself on a possible HBP. Assuming the batter was hit, then it's a dead ball AND:

1. Was the pitch a strike? If so, then nothing else matters, call the strike (either in the strike zone or swung at).

2. If not a strike, then did the batter avoid the pitch? The answer here should be sensitive to the level of the players. If the batter did not try to avoid, then call the pitch (a ball, since the answer to #1 was "no") and leave him at the plate; otherwise, award 1B.

3. If the batter tried to avoid a pitch that was not a strike, and the pitch hit him, then award 1B.

The ball going foul after hitting the batter is a red herring.

[bellsjc]

The first question that needs to be answered... did the batter make an attempt to get out of the path of the pitch?

If the answer is no... then was the pitch in the strike zone? If so... dead ball, called strike, runner returns to 1st base.

If the pitch is not in the strike zone... dead ball, call the pitch a ball, runner returns to 1st base.

If the batter did make an attempt to get out of the path of the ball... batter was hit by the pitch, dead ball, batter goes to 1st base, R1 goes to 2nd base.

[mcrowder]

bell - you have this entirely backward. Did the batter try to avoid comes AFTER "Was the pitch a strike"

If it was in the strikezone, it is a strike --- regardless of whether the batter tried to avoid it or not.